When looking for a job, we've sat down and gone to places such as monster.com, careerbuilder.com and hotjobs.com, among others. We think this is it - this is the day we are going to search, identify and apply to that job we have all been dreaming about. You think it - and so do thousands of others doing the same thing every single day.

First, let me say this - I think you should look at all the big job boards as there are great jobs and opportunities available through those resources. But please, don't make big job boards the sole source of your job search.

Catherine Byers Breet is a professional recruiter, motivational speaker and someone who has literally assisted thousands of job seekers at all levels of the job search - from entry-level to executive. Byers Breet is the creator of the highly-popular and effective Job Hunt Coaching System and author of the 4 Steps to a great New Job workbook.

She lists these five things you should know and understand about big job boards:

1. Job boards get paid to support employers, not job seekers (except for a small minority). They certainly try to attract you, but always keep in mind that they are there to serve the employer.

2. The big job boards are expensive for employers, so the good job for you may not be posted out on to those sites. And if it is posted on a job site, it is likely only posted on one of the big job boards.

3. Job boards are highly competitive. Thousands of job seekers see the same job postings and you are competing against every one of them - blind.

4. If you apply online, take your time and do it the right way. You must make sure you use as many keywords as you can on your resume. Your resume is being sorted along with every other applicant, by keyword relevance. This is powerful technology for employers, but it can greatly reduce your chances of being selected unless you modify your resume to fit each position you apply for, based upon the required and desired skills. If you do not tailor your resume for each position, it's probably a waste of time to apply online for it.

5. Most employers searching resumes search only on resumes posted within the last 30 days. So, if your resume has not been touched in more than 30 days, employers will not find you.

Big job boards forever changed the way people search for jobs. In some cases, it has hurt employees who aren't aware of the tips Byers Breet provides above. Don't get bullied by the big job boards - use the above tips to your advantage and be active through networking, research and using a variety of job search resources…including...this below:

Resources If you're fed up with big job boards, have been networking without success and/or are looking for a way to stand out in your career/job search, check out the Job Hunt Coaching System by Byers Breet. Her expertise and insight will provide the motivation, insight and most importantly, tools to get hired. Check it out today - start working tomorrow (okay, it might take a little longer than that, but I can guarantee you will see results!)

Eric Theis

7/14/2011 12:06:37 am

Great points, especially No. 5. I had never thought of that. I used to use the big job boards all the time but now they are only part of my job search. I prefer indeed.com to look for jobs.

Eric Putkonen

7/14/2011 02:13:54 am

Could you explain what kind of service or support to job seekers that is not being done?

Ultimately job boards don't exist without serving job seekers. Yes, the employers pay (not job seekers), but the employers are only there if high quality job seekers are there. So without being of value to job seekers, the job board is in danger of going under or a more crafty competitor taking over.

So on that note, what could a more crafty job board do to serve job seekers better?